The Washington critic., 1887-12-08
BLAINE AND THE MESSAGE.
uo Opposes the President and Favor
Home Industries.

Home Industries.
The New York Tribune of this morn
ing contains an interview by its Paris
correspondent with Mr.. james q.
Blaine, touching the Presidents Mes
sage,
PRrg TRADE MANIFESTO.
He considers il, in effect n free trade
manifesto, with revenue rider, and
avs ihat for the first time in the history
Of She United States the President
recommends retaining the internal tax
In order tlat the tariff may be forced
down even below the fair revenue
s,auium ly recommending that the tax
OH tobacco hc retained, and thus that
many millions annually shall be levied
ON 90 domestic product which would far
bpitur como from Il tariff on foreign
HLriys.
Cohsr DErrNsEs.
Mr.. Blaine favors the immediate re.
seal pf the tuS on tobacco, bui IS op-
JoJod tu the repeal Of ,ho whisky taS on
moml grounds. lie thinks whisky
should bp malcto do some good, and
eGsgc.,. thut the taN receipts from It he
devoted TO q. ast dcionscs.
lie Is an1"ci chat the Democratic
PARTY has uaid no attention 10 the late
{. i. Tildun's remarkable letter on the
sypipc; ui iuniurltiuue. He tlVurS this
application Of the money, not that there
IL any prospect of war, hut that there Is
danger in ease Of war. When thrrc wa'
no further use Of thc money in this
direction Mr.. Blaine suggests thnt it he
distributed throughout the Federal
Union with the specific object Of light
cninr the tax on real estate, which Is
now paying too large u proportion of the
total taxes and is hurGcnsuinc TO farmers
and house-huldors.
TIE WOOL DuTY.
He objects seriously to the reduction
of tho duty on wool, and believes that il
woull work serious injury to many in
tcrcsts and prove disastrous 70 sheep cul'
turc in the United States.
With reference TO the labor Interests
involved, Mr.. Blaine said that was tht
entiro question, and that he was totally
opposed to any policy which would tend
to bring our workmon down 10 the
level of similar worlimcn in Europe. rs
TO benefits to farmers resulting from n
free trade policy, he said there were
none, for with manufacturing ~ an END
the people employed in such work would
be driven TO agricultural pursuits, ana
the result would he an ovcr-stocl,ed mar
ket and prices of farm products brought
down to ruinous figures.
now TO REDUCE THE REVENUES.
In the matter of reducing the National
revenue, Mr.. Blaine said he would do ii
by repeating the tobacco taxes and max
ing some changes in the tariff, which
would not reduce protection, but would
wisely foster it.
Concerning the Treasury surplus he
had no comment to offer further than to
indorse Colonel Fred. Grants statement,
that u surplus was easier to handle than
deficit.
Mr.. Blaine favors an extension Of our
foreign trade but on the principle OF
tho free traders, by exchanging dollars
for dimes.
The South, according to Mr.. Blaine,
needs protection to foster the new manu-
turing interests, now Just finding foot.
hold there, and TO develop the enormous
mineral resources of that section.
The admission of free raw material
he characterized as Il fallacy.
THE EXPORT TRADE.
w Being asked whether it were not i'm
portant to increase an export trade, ht
said:
Undoubtedly; but II is vastly more
important not to lose our own great
market for our own people in the vain
efforts to reach the impossible. 1t is
not our foreign trade that has caused
the wonderful growth and expansion OF
the republic. 1t is the vast domestic
trade between thirty-eight State.
and eight Territories, with theil
population OF, perhaps, 62,000,00C
to-day. The whole amount of oul
export and import trade together
has never, think, reached $1,000, 600,
COO any one year. Our internal home
trade on l30, 900 miles of railway, alonl
1900 miles of ocean coast, ever the five
great lakes and along 10000 miles oi
navigablc rivers, reaches the enormou,
annual aggregate of more than $40, 900,
00o,000, and perhaps this year $40, 600,
00O,000.
at is into this illimiiablc trade, ever
now in its infancy and destined to attal
magnitude not dreamed of twcnt,
years ago, that the Europeans are strus
Cling to enter. 1t is the heritage of tho
American people, of their children anC
of their childrcn's children. II gives al
absolutely free trade over q territor,
nearly Ms large us all Europe, and tn
profit is all our own"
GENERAL EFFECT uF THE TRADE.
As to the general eject of the Mes
sage, Mr. Blaine said
~, will bring the country where
ought to be brought-to full and fai
contest on the question Of protection
The President himself makes it the on
issue by presenting no other in his Mes
sage. think 1t well to have the ques
ti0n settled. The Democratic party i
power is u standing menace to the il
dustrial prosperity Of the country. Tba
menace shou, , be removed or the polio
ii forcsllailU should be made certain
Nothing is ~ mischicyous to business 4
uncertainty, nothing so paralyzing q
doubt"
MORE SCHOOL BUILDINGS.